Thank you for visiting the ISU Ed. Leadershop. Our intent over the past few years has been to field-test community-engaged writings for PK-20 practitioner conversation -- quick, 5-minute "read's" that help put into perspective the challenges and opportunities in our profession. Some of the writings have remained here solely; others have been developed further for other outlets. Our space has been a delightful "sketch board" for some very creative minds in leadership, indeed.

We believe that by kicking around an idea or two and not getting too worked-up over it, the thinking and writing involved have even greater potential to make a difference on behalf of those we serve. In such, please give us a read; share with others. We encourage your thoughts, opinions, feelings, and reactions to our work and thank you for taking your time. You keep us relevant.

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Tune Out the Noise

Tune Out the Noise

By Dustin LeMay

Principal

Avon Intermediate West

Doctoral Student of
Educational Leadership

Bayh College of
Education

Indiana State University

&

Ryan Donlan

Assistant Professor of
Educational Leadership

Bayh College of
Education

Indiana State University

The profession of education has a
lot of noise right now -- Politicians expounding on the failures of our
education system; school systems reacting to changes in funding structures and
referendum failures; even new laws regulating teacher evaluation and the re-structuring
of compensation models.All this is
occurring while teachers are unfairly characterized in the media, not accorded
the respect of years past.

Even more troubling is the fact that schools and
teachers are held accountable for standardized test scores and academic growth
using a complicated mathematical formula that creates winners and losers in a
competition, borne potentially of a manufactured crisis, decades prior.

With
distractions abound, we believe that those of us who wish to thrive in education
today have two clear choices:

1.Complain
about the changes and negativity, thus making ourselves miserable and
unmotivated (and a part of the larger problem) or …

2.Challenge
ourselves to make a new reality by tuning out the noise.

Our
choice is clear.

We
would encourage yours similarly – We must to find a way to tune out the
noise.

Yet,
what exactly does that mean?Have a positive
attitude?Don’t worry, this too shall
pass?Ignore your job and move to a
tropical island?None of these bits of
advice hits the mark exactly.

Tuning
out the noise means instead, absorbing the new facts, regulations, and
circumstances that are rolling downhill continually, using them to carefully
construct a new reality within the profession of each school building and each
classroom.

Yes, tuning out the noise involves harnessing
the energy directed AT us, toward something meaningful that we have an ability
to influence.

Sounds good, right?

Well, it can be, if accomplished without the
over-reactions and complaints (the noise) that can quickly de-moralize a school
staff … it can be, if accomplished through leadership that doesn’t look for
internal cohesion by identifying an external enemy.

Most
of all, we can tune-out the noise in education, or at least turn-it-down to
“tolerable,” levels through school-wide, staff-wide commitment to five simple
actions that can pave the way to success.To tune-out the noise, we can:

1.Focus on What Can Be Controlled: We can control our
attitudes, our effort, and how we work together.Problems can’t always be controlled, but focusing
on the solutions helps get us there.Sometimes it may be necessary to vent a little -- after all, we are
human. However, it is not ok to constantly perpetuate a culture of complaint.
Consider that amidst the mandates and political banter, we CAN control, for
example, how teachers are involved in the evaluation process, what we do with our
data, how we listen to and support our stakeholder needs, and certainly, creating
an environment that lets each of us know that we should have fun and laugh each
day.

2.Work Smarter, Not
Harder: Rick DuFour’s (2010) work with PLC’s
has been around for a while now -- valuable work that speaks to the need for a
continuous, collaborative process of ongoing school improvement.When teachers work in PLC’s, they define
goals and expectations of each other.New sets of academic standards may feel, at times, like a load of work
to teachers, but with the shared load that a true PLC process allows, teachers
are able to break down the walls of isolation and establish an environment of
shared leadership.These collective
efforts reap even greater dividends than the sum of their parts.

3.Hold Ourselves Accountable
for Best Practices, OVER Test Scores:We know
we are accountable for standardized testing results.We may not like putting children in front of
computer-screened assessments for hours on end, but these requirements do not
appear to be going away any time soon. As
we establish a culture of high expectations that maximizes instructional time, might
we consider that in the long run, test results will take care of themselves –
That is, if we address the needs of the whole-child-as-learner, as opposed to
considering them as test-taker’s?As
leaders we must empower teachers to focus on each child’s academic and social
needs, as well as their own.We need to
trust our teachers to be learners and leaders, and at times, to get out of
their way.We need to be courageous
enough to allow those closest to the teaching and learning to implement what is
best for children, not what is best for individual employees or test scores.

4.Focus First on People:Educators who are on the firing line make
personal sacrifices each day to uplift student performance.Oftentimes, this is at the expense of our
loved ones and family, as we take far less time for ourselves than we took years
ago. Sometimes, it is at the expense of our own health, as continuing education
requirements, year-round calendars, performance pressures, and technology
demand that we “Never turn it off,” subordinating wellness to program, process,
and performance expectation.In light of
such, can we keep in mind each and every day to consider our colleagues first
as people, then as co-workers? Can we
strive to treat others equitably, not equally? In such, we may be a bit more energized
in spite of the noise, and better able to serve students.

5.Commit to Two-Way Communication: That includes administrators’
listening to and trusting teachers’ and staffs’ professional input. On the flip
side, it means teachers’ and staffs’ respecting administrative decisions and
following through with them. A true team focuses on working together toward a
common vision. At minimum, this means that on our most challenging days, we don’t
point fingers and blame.In our most arduous
hours, we come together for support.When
circumstances collide, we put in the work that let’s each of us know that
tomorrow will be a better day.We talk
to each other, and play to our strengths, winning battles and saving lives.

By
establishing and sticking to our five key actions, we can lay a foundation of
success that empowers each of us to tune out the noise and build
successful school environments for our students, teachers, and families.

Dustin LeMay and Ryan Donlan work each day to tune-out their
own noise so that they can listen to folks’ charting courses for improvement of
our K-12 educational system, toward a better tomorrow.If you wish to dial up your own volume and be
part of the conversation, please be encouraged to write to them at
[dalemay@avon-schools.org] or at ryan.donlan@indstate.edu.These two wish to
learn from others that have workable actions of their own.

About Us

A commitment to:
Quality programs and standards of excellence
* Diverse PK-16 administrative ranks by providing access for underrepresented groups
* Curriculum immersed in diverse perspectives
* Inquiry-based learning
* Collaboration in teaching, scholarship, and service among faculty and students
* Continuous programmatic and curricular improvement ---------------------------
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